President Obama is preparing to seek Congressional approval for a huge arms sale to Saudi Arabia, chiefly intended as a building block for Middle East regional defenses to box in Iran, according to administration and Pentagon officials.
The advanced jet fighters and helicopters for Saudi Arabia, long a leading customer for these weapons, could become the largest arms deal in American history, and one significant enough to shift the region’s balance of power over the course of a decade.
The key element of the sale would be scores of new F-15 combat aircraft, along with more than 175 attack and troop-transport helicopters and, if subsequent negotiations are successful, ships and antimissile defenses. The deal has been put together in quiet consultations with Israel, which has sought assurances that it will retain its technological edge over Saudi forces, even as Saudi Arabia improves its ability to face down a shared rival, the Iranians.
“We want Iran to understand that its nuclear program is not getting them leverage over their neighbors, that they are not getting an advantage,” a senior administration official said Friday, describing the Saudi sale as part of a broader regional strategy in which the United States has bolstered antimissle defenses in Arab states along the Persian Gulf. “We want the Iranians to know that every time they think they will gain, they will actually lose.”
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4 Responses
am i the only one that thinks its strange that usa is selling arms to saudi arabia? arent muslims worldwide protesting cooperation with usa? i think i missed a few chapters because this doesnt make any sense.
This has to be one of the dumbest and dangerous deals ever proposed. First we are going to give nearly 100 billion dollars in advanced weaponry to one of the most unstable governments that could be toppled by al qaeda sympathizers at any moment.
Secondly if the threat is a nuclear iran not much will help saudi against nuclear weapons, unless they have their own stock pile as a deterrent (which they likely will build w/o american help if chas veshalom iran goes nuclear)
this is a huge danger to America and Israel, please call your local congressman, and senators to oppose this.
enahak i think it is beyond strange as noted in my comment. However, i am not sure which muslims you are referring to. The radical muslims absolutely hate the saudi government, and want to install an even more extreme Government. But if I were them I would be happy because if America is dumb enough to go through with this one day those weapons will likely be in their hands.
we have been supplying Saudi Arabia arms for over 50 years. Every time we make a new deal with them there is a great hue and cry. So fare, none of these weapons have ever been used against Israel or have fallen into the wrong hands.
For better or worse, this country is as committted to the Saudis as the are to Israel, regardless of who is president.